hold you like a true friend
by nobody nowhere
Summary: Bayley-centric genfic; in which Bayley reacts to the NXT women's championship tournament finals at NXT Takeover. Obviously contains spoilers for the aforementioned event, so please don't read if you haven't seen Takeover and don't want to be spoiled for the results of said match.


so this was pretty much written in one sitting under moderate alcoholic influence so forgive me if it's not 100% coherent. or better yet, please point out any places where it isn't properly coherent so I can remedy the problem

_**this one is set immediately during/after the NXT Women's Championship match at NXT Takeover, so you probably shouldn't read any further if you haven't seen it and you want to avoid spoilers**_

if you have seen that match, however, join me in appreciating it and also Bayley POV, which is almost as fun as Tyler Breeze POV. this one isn't shippy at all; it's basically just me having Bayley feels and also Charlotte feels all over the place because holy shit NXT Takeover was amazing! and if you're a wrestling fan and you haven't seen it yet then you should probably go and watch it right now! this story will be here when you get back I promise

* * *

It actually physically hurts to watch Charlotte and Natalya wrestle for the vacant title, and it's not because it's easily one of the best women's matches in WWE history, even if it definitely is. It's not even because Bayley's resentful that she's not in that match herself (she is, a little, but it's okay – there's so many good wrestlers in the women's division, and she can't really be too mad at having been beaten, because it means she gets to watch the beauty and wonder that is this match, and just appreciate it as a pure fan of wrestling instead).

No, it's mostly because it's Charlotte who is wrestling for the title – Charlotte, who used to be her best friend, even if just for a little while. Charlotte, daughter of the legendary Ric Flair, but more importantly, Charlotte who loves her coffee just slightly shy of scalding but also heaped with the excess sugar she probably should avoid but never can say no to. Charlotte, lover of cheesy inspirational quotes (even more so than Bo Dallas); Charlotte, queen of gym session selfies; Charlotte, the woman who stabbed her in the back and decided to throw her hat into the ring with the BFFs in order to try and get ahead in the business. Charlotte, who swore she never wanted to be seen as 'Ric Flair's daughter', but still took her father to ringside with her for this match.

Although that might be like the chicken before the egg question, since Bayley's not sure whether Natalya first decided to ask for Bret to be at ringside for her, or if Charlotte was the first in requesting her father be present for the title match.

It hurts to watch, but Bayley can't tear her eyes away. Because even though this is definitely a match for the ages, it's also the match which will determine the future of the title that is her current primary goal as a wrestler (because hugging everyone she can and meeting all the legends and stars that will tolerate her is more about Bayley, the person than it is Bayley, the wrestler). And even beyond all that, it's Charlotte, and Bayley kind of hates the fact that she still can't hate Charlotte enough to actually want to see her fail.

It's not really surprising that Charlotte wins, in the end. Natalya is amazing, and Bayley will always love her both for being the amazing wrestler she is and also for being the wonderful friend that she is (because Bayley knows that sometimes she can come across as a little too overbearing, and Natalya takes that with good grace, hugs and all). But NXT is all about the future – Triple H even said so himself! – and no matter what else can be said about her, Charlotte is definitely a major part of the future of women's wrestling in the WWE. Just like Paige is, and Emma is, and Sasha is, and even Bayley herself is a part of the strong future being built for female wrestlers.

But Charlotte is the champion now, and so she is (and probably quite rightfully, in all honesty) at the forefront of that future and that change, and Bayley doesn't even feel bad or guilty or mad about turning to surprise Sasha with a hug when Charles Robinson counts the one-two-three and raises Charlotte's arm in victory. It's even better when Sasha, caught up in the wave of emotion that has seen a lovely moment of Flair-Hart four-way hugging down in the ring, returns Bayley's hug with hardly a thought, and for a perfect shining moment the only thing between them is the sheer joy and excitement that professional wrestling brings to its fans.

Because Bayley is, in her heart, only a fan who embraced a chance to make her dream a reality, and in a moment like this it seems that Sasha feels exactly the same way. It doesn't last, because of course it can't; she's not so naïve that she thinks one hug can fix all the bad blood between her and the BFFs (maybe it will take three or five or even ten hugs, before she can win them around again). But for one brief, beautiful moment, Bayley is hugging Sasha and Sasha is hugging her back, and the sheer of exhilaration of witnessing such a wonderful match between two women they can't help but admire and respect is the only thing that matters.

It's over in a heartbeat, and Sasha is pulling away with the most impressively distasteful frown upon her face, but it's okay, because now Bayley has the opportunity to hug Alexa and Becky and Devin and Kendall in quick succession – even Paige lets her get a hug in, in that standoffish I-like-this-but-I'll-never-in-one-hundred-years-admit-to-it kind of way that she has. The guys are all kind of off-siding, standing apart and making approving noises (they're not surprised, though, because nobody in NXT is actually surprised at the sort of stuff the NXT ladies can pull off when given the chance), but letting the women have this moment because it is theirs, and no question about it.

She can already hear people throwing about 'match of the year' and 'show-stealer' comments, and it warms her heart in so many ways. Because one day that could be Bayley herself, holding aloft the NXT women's title, or maybe even one day the Divas title (a girl's allowed to dream, right?!). But more to the point, it's a success for the women's division in general, especially the NXT women's division, and it's a point of pride for Natalya and Charlotte in particular.

Bayley isn't there for the hug with Triple H that happens immediately as both women walk through the curtain, or the one from Stephanie that follows after. She figures it probably happens, because both ruling figures of the Authority are just so genuinely invested in what happens when it comes to NXT and members of the roster, but she'll catch it played back somewhere. What matters the most to Bayley right now is the moment when both women walk into the ladies' locker room, and the space just erupts into the most genuine, heartfelt goodwill cheering she has ever heard, maybe. It's certainly at least equal to the aftermath of the Paige/Emma match at ArRival, and that is honestly a testament to the absolute clinic that the two ladies involved just put on out in the ring.

Bayley is lucky to get the first hug off Natalya, even if she pretty much just launches herself at the other woman to achieve it. Thankfully, Natalya has been conditioned to accept her form of unwavering affection and support over the past few months, and she catches Bayley with only marginally less than her usual ease – and considering the match she just wrestled, that's more than fair enough. Still, it's a good, proper hug, and they pretty much just squeeze the life out of each other for a few moments before Natalya lets go to receive her next hug from Paige, and Bayley steps aside to loiter beside the doorway for Charlotte to enter the room.

Sasha gets Charlotte's first hug, and that's fair enough, really. Bayley isn't so greedy as to want both first hugs, and she's not even completely convinced she actually wants to hug Charlotte, except for the fact that she kind of really does. Because no matter how much unresolved tension there is between them, tonight's match was an absolute classic – and Charlotte even won it clean. And Bayley doesn't have it in her to hate that, so as soon as Sasha lets go, Bayley sidles up and just kind of insinuates herself into a hug from behind, so Charlotte is turning around into the hug even before she realises who it is from.

There's a brief moment of tension where they stare each other down, and maybe Charlotte is just really tired after that match, because she doesn't even really look angry or hateful or mocking at all. For her part, Bayley can't really summon the strength after a display like that to be anything other than appreciative, and it seems like Charlotte feels the same, because the awkward tension only lasts a minute before the other woman leans into the hug and slings an arm across Bayley's back, and honestly, it's almost like coming home.

"This still doesn't mean I like you," Charlotte murmurs, but there's something in the way she squeezes her shoulder that makes Bayley think the other woman isn't as genuine as she wishes she was. "But I can't deny that I probably wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. You taught me that friendship will get you nowhere, and you have to take what you want in life if you want to succeed. So, you know, thanks for that, Bayles."

"I'm choosing to ignore that," Bayley says by way of reply. "Seriously, though – leaving everything else aside for a moment, congratulations. That was one of the best matches I've seen in quite a while, women's wrestling or otherwise. You and Natalya both did well, and I don't think anyone can say that you shouldn't be champion after a match like that."

"Of course not," Charlotte says, flicking her hair over her shoulder as her father sticks his head around the corner with what is possibly the proudest parental smile ever sighted on his face. She has to grin in response to that, because honestly, Ric Flair is a legend; Charlotte is seriously shaping up to be a wonderful wrestler in her own right, and Bayley can respect that, all other issues aside. "And if we're being honest, then I hope to have you as a challenger for this title in the very near future."

"You can count on it," Bayley promises, backing away slowly and holding the not-quite-a-stare-down. "If nothing else, you can always count on me!"

"That I can," Charlotte murmurs under her breath, and Bayley only just catches it as the other woman turns into a hug from Carmella. But it's enough to make her heart flutter with warmth, if just for a moment, and Bayley grins broadly as she steps back and watches Charlotte and Natalya receive their due in hugs and congratulations from the rest of the ladies.

This is their moment. Bayley can appreciate it for the both of them, and she does, honestly. It was a hard-fought match and an incredible display of women's wrestling, and it was won by a woman who well and truly embodies the spirit of NXT and the future of wrestling and the WWE. It doesn't mean she doesn't want a shot at Charlotte and that title, because she definitely does, but Bayley is woman enough to admit and allow that this moment is Charlotte's – and Natalya's to some extent, but most importantly, this moment belongs to Charlotte.

There will be time enough tomorrow, or the next day, or the next week, or maybe even the next month to challenge Charlotte for her title. But tonight belongs to Charlotte and Charlotte alone, and Bayley certainly isn't going to ruin that for her.

Because in the end, Takeover belongs to every single member of the NXT roster, and Charlotte was just the one woman of the two who seized the opportunity that managed to get it over the line. When almost every single match is called a show-stealer or lauded as a contender for match of the year, you know something is going right – and so much the better when the women's match is right up there in contention for match of the night.

The hugging and congratulating and back-slapping continues apace, but Bayley can only back and grin at this point. Because tonight has been about nothing but the continuation of the 'NXT _is_ the future' narrative that truly began to take off with ArRival, and has only jumped from height to height ever since then. Charlotte is the future, the NXT women's division is the future, and Bayley herself is definitely a part of that future.

Tonight is Charlotte's night, but tomorrow is Bayley's future, and she's more than ready for everything that it might hold.


End file.
